


High Spirits

by violasarecool



Category: Dragon Age II
Genre: Banter, Dragons, Gen, High Dragons, background hawke/isabela
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-21
Updated: 2016-06-21
Packaged: 2018-07-16 10:27:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,029
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7264219
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/violasarecool/pseuds/violasarecool
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>fighting a high dragon? just another day as champion.</p><p>in which everything is smiles and jokes, act 3 angst is a myth</p>
            </blockquote>





	High Spirits

It was past noon, and the sun reflected off the sandy surface of the Bone Pit, heat rippling up from the ground. It was a good thing they didn't bring Ser Barkington, Hawke reflected; her paws would be getting scorched. Then again, she thought as Anders paced back and forth, there was more than one reason she was glad she didn't bring her Mabari with her that day.

Anders was ranting now, gesticulating wildly as he spoke. "Let's go find out why everything's on fire, she says. It'll only take a minute, she says. Oh shit, is that a high dragon, she says." He stopped pacing to glare at her.

Hawke grinned, patting the body of the fallen dragon. "You say that like finding a dragon is a _bad_ thing."

"Yes!" Anders exclaimed, "yes, it is a bad thing! That damn dragon almost set my hair on fire. We could have  _died!_

"Priorities," Isabela said dryly, but her hands were shaking as she brushed ash from her arms.

"To be fair, if I'd known we were going to find a dragon, I would have brought more friends, made it a party," Hawke said.

Aveline worked one glove off her hand. "I would have brought a full complement of the guard," she said, wiping sweat from her face.

" _That_ would have been nice," Isabela said. "Get some bodies between us and the giant fire-maker."

"My guards are not your living shield," Aveline said, but there was little force behind the words. "Maker, can we get out of here? I'm boiling alive in this armour."

"Seconded," Anders said.

"Motion passed," Isabela said. "Thank the gods."

Aveline gave her a withering look. "You can hardly complain, you don't even have _sleeves_."

"And?" Isabela shrugged. "Still hot as hell."

"Isn't that your default state?" Hawke said, eyebrows raised.

Isabela laughed. "Well, yes, but I'd prefer it if that only extended to my looks."

"Fair enough."

They walked back up the gentle incline, past the bodies of countless dragonlings. Isabela cast a look back as they reached the top of the hill. "You know," she said, looking at Hawke, "Varric is going to be royally pissed he missed out on this." Hawke snorted. "The _great Hawke,_ fighting an enormous dragon. Maker, he'll be going on about it for days."

"I don't know, didn't he already tell one where she _single_ - _handedly_ fought off a dragon?" Anders said. "It's not like his stories are really based in fact."

" _That's_ for sure," Hawke said. "Just wait until I tell him about it this evening, he'll have a new story going around by tomorrow where I fight off three dragons at once."

"I'll bet you thirty silver he works in a bit where you rescue a family of Fereldans from the _clutches_ of the dragons," Isabela said, eyes gleaming.

Anders shook his head as Aveline made a scoffing noise. "I would, but I still owe Varric twenty silver."

Meanwhile, Aveline gave Isabela a critical look. "Wild beasts don't take captives," she said, "that's absurd."

"Thirty silver says he will," Isabela sang.

"Oh no," Aveline said, shaking her head, "I'm not joining your betting pool."

"Maker, you're determined to be dull, aren't you," Isabela sighed.

Aveline gave her an amused look. "I have been described as such on occasion. Mainly by you, I might add."

"If the shoe fits..." Isabela shrugged. "Hawke, what about you, care to throw some money my way?"

"If you're that sure of winning, why don't I save us both the trouble and just _give you money?"_ Hawke said with a wave of one arm.

"Ooh, I've always wanted a rich patron," Isabela said, grinning, "am I your _kept woman_ now?"

"You mean you weren't already?" Aveline said dryly, and Isabela gave a delighted laugh; Anders pressed a hand to his mouth, eyes creased with amusement.

"Well she _does_ practically live in the mansion already," Hawke said, smirking. "I went to get dressed this morning and had to dig through a pile of shirts with busts wider than my shoulders to find something that would fit me."

Isabela snorted. "It's not my fault your breasts are the size of apples."

"What kind of apples are _you_ buying?" Anders said, biting back a grin.

"Hey, now," Hawke said, "don't criticize the ladies, you'll make them self conscious."

"I'm sure they can handle it," Isabela said, patting Hawke's chest.

Aveline cleared her throat, and they turned towards her. "Not to interrupt your discussion of Hawke's chest," she said, "but it's still _damned hot,_ and I'd like to get out of here before the blood leaking through Hawke's bag attracts more wild animals."

"What?" Hawke glanced down, and noticed the red staining the edge of her bag. "Shit, that'd be the dragon scales."

"You need a new bag, anyway," Aveline said, "if it comes apart at the seams again I'm not helping you carry all your garbage back."

"It's not garbage—"

"What did you pick up today," Isabela said, as they began walking again, "less than a foot of frayed rope, a broken pin—"

"Ashes," Anders added.

"—literal ashes, what are you going to do with a pile of ashes, Hawke?" Hawke shrugged. "An empty quiver—you don't even have a _bow,_ or _arrows—_ a knife so dull and chipped that sharpening it would take off most of the blade... do I need to keep going?"

"I don't know, you seem to be enjoying yourself, I'd hate to be a party-pooper," Hawke said, grinning.

"I can't believe I'm dating a hoarder," Isabela said, shaking her head.

"A _rich_ hoarder," Hawke said, waggling her eyebrows.

"Mm. I guess you rich people need your hobbies."

"At this rate, I'll be able to count _dragon-hunting_ as a hobby," Hawke said, and Anders groaned.

"If you find another dragon in this damn mine, leave me out of it," he said emphatically.

Hawke laughed. "But then who will I have to tag team on big spells?"

"Ask Merrill, I'm sure she'd be _overjoyed."_

"She probably would be, too; she's so damned cheerful, it's disgusting," Isabela said, smiling.

"Pity you can't beat a dragon with positivity," Aveline said.

Hawke grinned. "You can try."


End file.
